Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List

Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «P»:

Palatine bonePalatine bone: A bone behind the maxilla which enters into the formation of the hard palate (hence, the name "palatine"), the nasal cavity, and the floor of the orbit....

Pale globePale globe: Also called the globus pallidus, this is a pale-appearing spherical area in the brain. Globus is a Latin word meaning a globe or sphere. Pallidus refers to its pallor relative to the surrounding brain substance.
The globus pallidus is specifically part of what is called the lentiform nuc...

Paleolithic dietPaleolithic diet: The Paleolithic diet is a weight loss plan based
upon the premise of consuming only those foods available during the Paleolithic
era (also known as the Stone Age). People at this time were hunter-gatherers,
meaning that all animals were hunted and plants were gathered from natur...

PaleostriatumPaleostriatum: A pale-appearing spherical area in the brain. The paleostriatum is specifically part of what is called the lentiform nucleus which, in turn, is part of the striate body, a component of the basal ganglia, large masses of gray matter at the base of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain....

PalindromePalindrome: In genetics, a DNA or RNA sequence that reads the same in both directions. The sites of many restriction enzymes that cut (restrict) DNA are palindromes.
In rheumatology, palindromic rheumatism is a form of joint inflammation in which the joints involved by the arthritis appear to chang...

PalindromicPalindromic: Pertaining to a palindrome. A DNA sequence that reads the same in both directions is a palindromic sequence....

Palindromic rheumatismPalindromic rheumatism: A form of arthritis characterized by attacks of fleeting inflamation in and around the joints lasting hours to a few days. The fingers and knees are the most common targets. While the attacks may be painful, they typically leave no permanent joint damage. Approximately one th...

PalliatePalliate: To treat partially and incompletely. To palliate a diseases is to treat it partially but not cure it completely.
Palliation cloaks a disease. Palliate has several senses, including: to reduce the severity of (a disease); to moderate the intensity of something; and to cover by excuses and ...

PalliationPalliation: To palliate a disease is to treat it
partially and insofar as possible, but not cure it completely. Palliation cloaks a disease.
To take a case, a 91-year-old man was found to have a tumor in his lung. He did not have chest surgery because of his age and the general rule that cancer mov...

Palliative carePalliative care: 1) Medical or comfort care that
reduces the severity of a disease or slows its progress
rather than providing a cure. For incurable diseases, in
cases where the cure is not recommended due to other health
concerns, and when the patient does not wish to pursue a
cure, palliative...

Palliative treatmentPalliative treatment: To palliate a disease is to treat it partially and insofar as possible, but not cure it completely. Palliation cloaks a disease. Also sometimes called symptomatic treatment.
To take a case, a 91-year-old man was found to have a tumor in his lung. He did not have chest surgery b...

PallidotomyPallidotomy: A surgical operation performed on the globus pallidus to destroy it. The purpose of this operation is to relieve involuntary movements or muscular rigidity, as, for example, in Parkinson's disease.
The globus pallidus is a pale-appearing spherical area in the brain. (Globus is a Latin w...

PallidumPallidum: Part of what are called the basal ganglia of the brain which consist of the globus pallidus and the ventral pallidum.
The globus pallidus itself is a pale-appearing spherical area in the brain. (Globus is a Latin word meaning a globe or sphere. Pallidus refers to its pallor relative to the...

Pallister-Killian syndromePallister-Killian syndrome: A condition with multiple
malformations at birth and mental retardation due to isochromosome 12p mosaicism (an
abnormal chromosome #12 in some cells). ...

PalmPalm: The grasping side of
the hand; the flexor surface of the hand. In contrast to the back of the hand, the extensor surface of the hand.
From the Latin "palma" for the outstretched palm of the hand. The palm tree is so named from the resemblance of the shape of its frond to the palm of the hand...